A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wrenches for turning valve handles and more particularly to that class of wrenches suited to turning oval valve handles. Valves having inlet and outlet pipes disposed at right angles and having oval handles are commonly used in household plumbing systems as shut-off valves in the water supply lines to sinks and toilets. Such valves are commonly referred to as angle stop valves.
Oftentimes, angle stop valves remain in fixed open positions for long periods of time until sink faucets or other parts of the plumbing system downstream from the angle stop valve require maintenance. As a result of being in one position for long periods of time, angle stop valve handles often require more torque to turn them than can be applied by hand. As a result, the homeowner or professional plumber servicing the plumbing system frequently is required to resort to makeshift methods of freeing a stuck angle stop valve. This often results in damaged or broken valve handles and frayed tempers. The present invention was conceived of in an effort to alleviate the aforementioned difficulties caused by stubborn or stuck angle stop valves.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Jackson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,560,254, Nov. 3, 1925, discloses a wrench for turning the drain cock of an automobile engine, combined with a funnel-shaped cup for receiving drain oil. The wrench has an elongated handle slidably and rotatably mounted in a horizontally disposed tube formed from a bail strip mounted to the upper, wider end of the cup. The end of the wrench nearest the cup has a socket formed of flanges 3 and 4 which form a recess in the general shape of a drain cock head.
Rader, U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,941, Mar. 22, 1948, discloses a C-clamp wrench having a socket formed by downwardly projecting flanges 3 and 4.
Wallis, U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,720, Oct. 26, 1965, discloses a key for freeing jammed garbage disposers. The key has a longitudinal channel tube section 18 adapted to fitting over impeller lugs 14 of the disposer to permit torque to be applied to lugs 14 through handle 24 of the key.
Homs, U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,106, Jan. 18, 1972, discloses a wrench for turning sprinkler valve heads. The end of the wrench opposite the handle has a socket whose interior has the shape of a hollow Greek cross complimentary to the shape of a conventional valve handle.
Heinen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,875, Sept. 20, 1977, discloses a wrench for tightening nuts onto reinforcing or anchoring rods having spiral threads which extend around only a portion of the circumference of the rod. The wrench head has the shape of an elongated tubular sleeve, and has transverse slots 15 near the upper end of the sleeve. The slots are adapted to receiving a forked key 16 which forcibly engages the rod, permitting rod and nut to be turned together when the key is in place, and the nut only when the key is removed.
Lewis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,913, Nov. 21, 1978, discloses a multipurpose tube wrench having a tubular body. A hole 4 passing transversely through the center section of the tubular wrench body accomodates a rod-shaped cylindrical member which permits a substantial torque to be applied around the axis of the tube.